‘GST restructuring will sound the death knell to federalism’

B. Sudershan Reddy, the Opposition’s Vice-Presidential candidate, said that if the attempt to restructure the GST and formulate appropriate policies regarding the allocation of financial resources to States succeeded, it would sound the death knell for the very idea of federalism.

“The States would be reduced to the level of municipalities, and made to depend on handouts from whoever is in power. It is a matter of serious concern for all of us. Unless we all think seriously about it, and collectively evolve an appropriate strategy and policy to face the impending difficulty, not only the idea of federalism, but the Constitution itself would be in danger,” he said at a meeting organised by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and alliance partners of the DMK.

Recalling the DMK’s plea to the Sarkaria Commission to abolish the post of the Governor, Mr. Reddy said the party had been a visionary, and had anticipated the impending crisis it is facing even today.

Without naming the BJP, Mr. Reddy alleged that only those who do not understand the idea of India and the Constitution keep on repeating the phrase ‘one nation’. “It is as if others are disputing that proposition. Of course, ours is one nation. But what is India, that is Bharat? It is a union of States. What is a union without the States? What is a nation without its States? The importance of the State is in the very first words of the Constitution,” he said.

Mr. Stalin, who called Mr. Reddy a champion of federalism, said he faced daily challenges and dangers posed by forces and vested interests that seek to undermine the idea of federalism.

Responding to the opinion that he had no place in the political arena, since he had not been involved in politics during his previous career as a lawyer and judge, Mr. Reddy said those who raised the question had forgotten that the Constitution itself was a political document.

“I do not belong to any political party, and I do not intend to join one. But to say that I have nothing to do with politics is to say that I have nothing to do with democracy. The political process is an integral part of democracy — they are intertwined,” he said.

Asked about Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s comments labelling him a Naxalite, Mr. Reddy said he had already responded in The Hindu. “There is no point in revisiting it time and again. I have said all that needs to be said. When someone makes such remarks merely for the sake of saying something, it is best not to keep responding. It would be inappropriate to focus on something irrelevant to our present purpose,” he said.

When asked to compare his candidature with that of C.P. Radhakrishnan, who subscribes to the ideology of the RSS, Mr. Reddy said he did not wish to comment on any of the candidates. “This will be one of the most decent elections ever fought. I am a liberal constitutional democrat, with full faith in, and allegiance to, the Constitution,” he said.

In response to whether he would meet Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to seek his support, Mr. Reddy clarified that it did not matter, as political parties were not members of the electoral college. “I appeal to everyone to consider my candidature on merit,” he said.